NAGRAT Threatens Strike Over Unpaid Allowances.

NAGRAT

Vice-president of National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) Mr Angel Carbonu has stated that NAGRAT would embark on strike if the Ghana Education Service does not heed their call for negotiations over compensation and other allowances due its members.

Speaking on Citi FM’s news analysis program, Eyewitness News program on Thursday; Mr. Carbonu indicated that decision was taken because of the delay in payment of their allowances.

“This is one of the concerns that we have raised for which we have decided to embark on an industrial action in the government and the Ministry Of Education together with the GES if it fails to give us favourable response,” he said.

According to him the issue of WAEC invigilation and adequate compensation paid for work done has been lingering on for many years.

“We sent proposals to the GES and made suggestions as to how much a teacher should be paid per session because of the nature of the work that is done.”

He also indicated that all these requests have not received favourable responses from the GES.

“So this year, what we are saying is that if the GES and the Ministry Of Education is interested in using our services for an examination conducted by WASSCE then they should quickly call us to the negotiation table and discuss how much they will compensate us for the work that we are going to do otherwise then they will have to find other people to conduct the exam,” he added.

Mr Carbonu further stated that in 2012 teachers who were entitled to car maintenance allowances were not paid these allowances neither have they received explanation from the GES and the Ministry of Education.

“It is unfortunate that you have brought people to an enhanced salary regime like single spine pay policy and yet you realise that whereas some category of workers have transferred their benefits and allowances from old pay regime unto the new one. Some other people like teachers got unto the new pay regime without allowances,” he said.

“And as we speak teachers have been denied this allowance and we have been short changed by the system. These are some of the reasons why we are asking that if we don’t see our way clear then no one should blame us that on the 28 we are laying down our tools,” he said.

Mr. Carbonu maintains that “the issue has been pending for a long time and so it can’t be termed as blackmail but rather incompetent response from authorities and powers that be, the only thing that would not make us go on strike will be to sit at the table and find solutions to the concerns we have raised it is that simple.”

Author: Staff
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